Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-05-07
Fair Florence p


Last week, in company with Judge
G. g. Smith, Capt. Polk G. johnson
and Capt. r.. l.. Cobb, the editor of
this paper visited the beautiful city
situated on the bank of Tennessee
Riyerin Lauderdale county Alabama
and designated by all parties whether
residents or visitors us "Fair Flor
ence.
Knowing the anxious desire among
many of our readers, both in Tonnes
see and Kentucky, to learn some
ting definite and reliable in regard
to the vast enterprises now in pro-
gress in and near the city of Florence
we have gathered and condensed the
following:
FLORENCE, IN 1919.
Years ago our forefathers projected the
scheme OF a large town just here, and evident.
| ly Nature Intended that 50 IL should be. In
1873 Florence was selected by the Cypress
| Land Company" as the site upon which to
! build q large Southern commercial city.
| Having Connection by means OF the Tennessee
| River with the cities then being founded on
the Ohio and Mississippi, the town was ex-
pected to become the receiving and disburs-
Ing point for all Northern Alabama, MS well
as for those counties In Tennessee lying upon
the Alabama border. The town was laid or
| with wonderous forethought and wisdom,
the streets and avenues being one hundred
feet wide, add graded with species OF con-
glomerate gravel found In inexnaustible sup
| ply within its corporate limits. The site Sc
ielected was upon bluffs one hundred and
fifty feet above the level of the river at high
water, depressions being occasional and
gradual, furnishing good drainage and first
class facilities for boat landings. The spot is
beautiful beyond comparison The country
around for miles Is u fertile agriculture region
the grasses, clover, grain, fruits, vegetables
and cotton growing to great perfection. A
sale OF lots took pace that year (lSl9), James
Madison, James, Monroe, and Andrew jack
son, three Presidents of the United States,
being present. Hon. John Mckinley was one
of the projectors, also Hon. James Jackson
and General John Coffee besides many other
gentlemen whose names are recorded in the
archives OF the country's history as among
the most illustrious In the land. For num-
Der of years the new town increased rapidly
In population, and began to flourish in a com
mercial way. Unfortunately politics crept
into It's organization at an early day, and
; soon the fathers and founders of the town be-
came estranged In business by reason OF
enmities engendered by differences III politi-
cal views aroused during the excitement In
the violent days OF 1882. The land on oppo-
site sides OF the town was owned by the
chiefs of two bitter opposing political parties,
aud every, effort undertaken or suggested to
; build up the town by one party was antago-
nized and opposed by the other. This system
OF internecine destruction was carried on I'M
I'll the close OF the late Civil War;
Florence has long been town renowned
, throughout the South for Its schools, churches
and colleges. Many of the old typical South
ern homes are yet here, and the society OF
Florence has long been noted for It's refine
: ment and intelligence. Its citizens now
throw wide their hospltabe doors and cor
daily invite the industrious and enterpris-
Ing home-seeker, without regard TO creed or
nationality, To throw In his destiny with
] them, The climate Is good, being medium
between the extreme cold Of the Northern
States and the extreme heat OF moro South
, ern ATTITUDES. Building material OF all kinds
Is cheap and abundant. Special Inducements
, will be offered parties agreeing to locate III
Florence and to build upon property pur-
: chased OF the company. Large manufac-
) are now being projected at Florence
and honest mechanics seeking homes and
employment will be cordially welcomed
The town of Florence Is beautifully located
. on the north bank of the Tennessee River,
midway between the coal of Alabama
and the iron fields of Tennessee. isapproached
) by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad,
r1nning through shefiield a place we'll
known, aud situated on the south bank OF the
+ Tennessee River opposite Florence. This
railroad is locating all lbs immense shops and
+ buildings at Sheffield. An approach to Flor
, ence from the north Is by the great Louis
l vile and Nashville Railroad, running south
from Nashville to Columbia, thence TO
IAwrenceburg and Florence. Florence lies
in the heart OF the famous Tennessee Valley,
and, combining ali the facilities for railroad
and river transportation, Is destined at an
early day to become one OF the largest and
most tlourishing of Southern river cites.
: FLORENCE, IN 1887.
, This company vas organized ln November,
, 1886. Judge w. u. WOOD Of Elorence,. was
l Ia Matn 4 ", IF n.
ence, Secretary; and w. p. CapTpbelh, OF
Florence, Treasurer. The plan OF 0fsafIiza-
ton was as follows; The company secured .
!, large mount of fine land In and around
I Florence, composed of business aud residence
lots In the city and manufacturing sites
T handsome acre suburban properly, and ex-
cellent garden and farming lands In near
vicinity. The several owners put In their
lands or lots at an agreed valuation, or the
valuation was determined by disnterested
I parties. In this way all the land possible
In and around Florence was obtained. Lands
that could not be procured In this way were
bought and put Ia by the buyers at actual
7 cost, Then about three hundred thousand
dollars was subscribed In cash. There was no
I syndicate putting In land at watered prices
against the public's money and making 9
profit to start with. II was q popular uprls
g Ing of the citizens of Florence who
who put their lands at market prices against
r about three hundred thousand dollars. The
assets OF the company now consists OF mum
Q her of handsome city lots In Florence, and
four thousand three hundred acres in and
I around the town, thirty thousand acres Of
mineral lands, and the balance OF four hun
drcd thousand dollars In cash. To the McNat
Q Coal Company, near Chattanooga, on the
Tennessee River, the Florence Company have
s given twenty -five acres OF land. In return
Tor this the McKnab Company changes IT.
name 10 the Coke, Coal and Iron Company d
}. Florence with capital of one million dol
lars; agrees to erect one one hundred ton fur
5 mace: also contracts 10 deliver coal and coki
/. | nj Florence at one-haif cent a bushel less
Y than they deliver IL anywhere else. This com
y pany also bought sixty -eight thousand dol
lars worth OF real estate In Florence from
seventv-fve thousand dollar hotel ard hav,
, also announced that they would erect another
a scyenty-five ton furnace there. The F1orenc'
|" Charcoal. Iron and Chemical Company, with
I three hundred and my thousand dofian
capital, have selected q twenty-five acre site
g and will At once proceed 70 erect chaTcoa